Facebook Watch: What You Need to Know

Though much of the digital community has been focusing on recent changes to Facebook’s Newsfeed algorithm, brand marketers should be paying attention to Facebook’s video platform, Watch. It’s a potential game-changer for brands, creators and online video services, and is poised to disrupt the social video landscape – so brands need to understand Watch’s particulars before they’re left behind.

What is Facebook Watch?

It’s a built-in platform in which publishers, TV studios and online creators can broadcast their shows and earn revenue through ad sales while connecting with highly-engaged audiences.

The new platform hosts breakthrough advertising opportunities. This is the first time Facebook has agreed to pre-roll advertising and includes a mid-roll option. The KPIs are promising, too. According to Ad Age, a clip about President Trump on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show was Watch’s best performing video, attracting more than 2 million views and 1.7 thousand comments, more than double what a YouTube video would generate.

Facebook is prioritizing long-form content, promising high-level entertainment that can be absorbed in episodes. The content includes broadcast network originals, and partnerships with more than 30 creators, spanning topics such as food, reality, travel, comedy and sports. Here are a few examples.

A cooking show featuring kids instructing real chefs on how to make food.

What Challenges Does Watch Pose to Brands and Advertisers?

It’s still unclear how to measure engagement with Watch, and whether or not views come from the Watch hub or the news feed. Facebook counts views differently than platforms like YouTube; if a video plays three seconds, even if automatically, it’s counted.

Some viewers might be annoyed at the interruption of the mid-roll ads in what has typically been an ad-free space, according to a publishing executive at Facebook. However, that’s the cost for viewing free content, and if the content is relevant, it’s likely the viewer will watch.

What are the Opportunities on Watch for Brands and Advertisers?

Mid-roll placements are 5-15 seconds, and they’re unskippable. Digiday reported that Facebook claims 70 percent of mid-roll ads are viewed to completion, likely due to engagement with the video content and the unspoken requirement that ads be entertaining. Due to the length of content, sound is likely to be on.

Brands can choose where they want ad placement to occur, offering more control and potentially, better reach. In addition to miniseries, various types of content for all audiences are being tested on Watch, including viral reels.

Brands could partner with influencers to promote their product with synergy. Creators will be offered a way to monetize their shows through ads, not just brand pages.

Why Watch is a Platform to… Watch

Facebook Watch is new, but it’s also promising. Big names like CBS, NBA, A&E and Univision have signed on, as well as influencers and brands like Delish magazine, attracting views and engagements.

Mid-placement ads are already being inserted and show a huge potential for authentic marketing that fits into the types of content to which audiences are more open.

User-generated content could be successful way to attract even more engagement on the platform.